Shades and Flip flops

Tonight I get to bring some fun gifts to the ladies at the clubs. I had a great time picking out sunglasses from Forever 21 and I LOVE the pink and black flip flops from Old Navy, too! We've recently received lots of donations that have made these gifts possible. I'd like to give a shout out to Christ Community Church in Olathe, New Life Church in Gardner, and Burlington First Church in Burlington, Iowa. Thanks SO much for your generosity!
I just HAD to try on all of the shades when they were delivered by Mr. Brown. Don't you LOVE the stickers on the lenses!

Mama Mia!

Yesterday, my friend, Debbie and I went to see Mama Mia. I LOVE musicals, hence the reason I am singing with Donnie and 90 other people on stage this weekend in The Music Man with Gardner Community Theatre. Anyways... the movie is SO awesome! Obviously a lot of music by Abba. There were some silly, quirky moments, but as usual for me, I laughed out loud and clapped and sang throughout the movie! I like to do that when I'm in public watching a musical! Don't you? I hope my friend, Debbie didn't mind!!! I would highly recommend it. It is REALLY fun! Thanks to Debbie for getting me out of the house. :)

Special Deliveries!?!?

It is getting really late, but as I often do when I am up late, I was reading a blog by someone creative and stumbled upon this fabulous idea! It sounds a bit familiar...
http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2008/06/delivering.html

The writer happened to be a bit depressed about a move that is taking her away from her normalcy. She is grieving. Her loss is the home in which she and her family poured themselves. BUT, the cool thing is that when she is feeling blue, she brings unexpected gifts to friends, neighbors, etc. She is uplifted when she is uplifting someone else. That's what I want Love Wins to be. I want it to be a bright spot, even when there is crap happening to me or those who get the gifts. Right now, I feel pretty crappy. Sometimes I don't even want to get out of my pajamas and it is the middle of the afternoon... I do get pumped when I am thinking about Love Wins. I am really excited about the July gifts. The ladies will actually get to pick their favorites of two different, very summery things! Can you guess what they are?

Flower Food

On Sunday at church, Phillip brought a whole bunch of white roses to church out of the kindness of his heart. He said that his dad works at a place where damaged goods are brought in and sold at reduced prices and this week, a flower truck was overturned. So he bought a whole bunch of different flowers. How nice for all of us! I ended up bringing home about a dozen white roses. The poor little things were in my car for a couple of hours in the scorching heat and looked pretty limp when I got home. So, I thought I would try to revive them before giving up and tossing them out. Last Spring, a florist from Hy-Vee came to my classroom to teach the kids how to arrange and care for cut flowers.

The first thing you always want to do is to put the flowers in water when you cut them again before putting them into a vase. You need to cut the stem at a diagonal under water. This allows the water to be better absorbed. Then put water in a vase and add a sweet and sour to it. For instance, I added a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vinegar for a quart of water. Be sure to change the food and water every few days and your flowers will stay beautiful much longer!

Do you have any handy tips today?

56 Today

Today is my mother's birthday. If she were still alive, she would be 56 years old. The last birthday that we got to celebrate with her was her 40th. I can remember what she was wearing at her party, assisted a bit by a photograph that we still have. She was wearing pink, white and blue with a pink scarf wrapped around her forehead. I can still see her crooked smile. That is a gift for which I am really thankful.
I remember her...
singing while she did the laundry
coming to our rooms at night to read or sing us to sleep
making beautiful dresses, costumes, and wrapped presents
staying up really late to finish a book
staying up really late to wrap presents
staying up really late to sew a last minute costume
talking with anyone who came to the door for an hour
loving the Christmas season
spending all of her clothing budget on my three sisters and I and not on herself
working for the Lee jeans company
smiling every minute of the roller coasters at Worlds of Fun
telling me not to shave my legs until jr. high (which I disobeyed and regret!)
being a goofy actress with her sisters
lighting up a room
being a friend to dad's sisters and cousins
favorite flowers were yellow roses
being persistent about my youngest sister's education
smelling like raspberries when she left the world
leaving the world when the sky was pink
always wanting what was best for me and my sisters.
We love you, Mom!